Lakota Surrender (25 page)

Kristina shot a startled glance to her husband. Their gazes met, held. He knew, his glance conveying an understanding she was far from feeling or appreciating. “Your friend’s reaction,” he said in Lakota, “is only the first of many. You must be brave.”

“What did you say?” she asked in sign.

“I said,” he gestured back, “that you are beautiful and if you can’t come here, I will have to visit the fort. I feel that I must see you every day or burst.”

Kristina smiled, but Tahiska’s gaze fell to his friends who, busy with camp chores, pretended not to see, nor to hear.

Tahiska rose lightly to his feet.

“Leci u wo,”
he said over his shoulder, already strolling away at a steady gait.

Kristina needed no translation. She struggled to her feet and, lifting her skirts, ran after him.

Wahtapah glanced toward Julia. She had lingered near the horses in the heat of the sun for a long time and was even now close by, though she had wandered further away.

“You must keep an eye on the white woman.”

“Me?” Neeheeowee pointed to himself. “If you worry, then watch her yourself.”

Wahtapah shrugged. He glanced toward Julia. “She wanders. She is our guest. Would you have our guest come to harm? Have you noticed she is headed toward the deserted prairie dog town? Perhaps she knows the dangers. Perhaps not.”

“If she is silly enough to go there, why should I care?”

Wahtapah didn’t answer. Instead he bent over the arrowhead he was polishing. At length he looked up, then said, “She is our guest. How could we allow her to come to harm? Being white, she may not know the danger.”

Neeheeowee grunted. Nonetheless, grabbing his bow and quiver filled with arrows, he rose to his feet. With a final grimace at his friend, he quickly left the camp.

Julia watched Kristina follow Tahiska from the camp. Tahiska… Kristina’s husband… Were they truly married? Man and wife…

Julia sighed, looking heavenbound. Had she been wrong to escort her friend to this place? Julia shivered.

She needed to have a long talk with Kristina, but somehow she couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. Whenever she tried, it came out as a lecture or a condescension which Julia felt certain would only strengthen Kristina’s cause.

But what Julia couldn’t understand was Kristina’s fascination with these people. Of course, Julia admitted that at first even she had been curious about the wild Indian. But unlike Kristina, she was not intrigued. Within Julia’s memories were stories of massacres, betrayals, outright savage cruelty. A shiver of fear flickered over Julia’s spine. She remembered one necklace she had seen here in the fort, an Indian necklace made of human fingers and beads, and in the center had hung a human heart.

Julia glanced quickly at the two Indians remaining in camp. Was she safe? Neither of them looked at her, paid her any attention, but one could never be certain. Did they even now plot to take her scalp? Rape her?

Savages!

Julia spun around, gnawing on her clenched fist, trying to hold back the cry. Instead, she released small whimpering sounds, at the same time casting her vision out over the prairie. Where could she go? A soft wind, the kind that blows incessantly over the plains, tugged at her coiffure, releasing small wisps of hair from their confinement. There were few hiding places upon the vast plains. No matter where she went, they would find her. Besides, weren’t Indians notoriously excellent trackers? But if she were out of sight, perhaps they would forget about her.

She scanned both her mount and Kristina’s, and satisfied that they were securely tethered, she roamed away, slowly, so as not to draw attention to herself. She wouldn’t wander far, just over the hill, out of sight.

She meandered away, seemingly purposeless, until, on the other side of the hill, she picked up her skirts and ran. But no one followed and, her heart pounding, she slowed her pace. She had come upon a soft, grassy area abundantly strewn with beautiful wildflowers. The lush grasses bent toward her in the gentle breeze and it occurred to Julia that such a place would make wonderful grazing for the animals. Suddenly she heard the hissing. All conscious thought stopped.

Fear swamped her. She knew that sound. A rattler.

She swung a glance over her shoulder. The snake poised coiled, ready to strike. Where had it come from?

Julia screamed. At that exact moment an arrow whizzed by, narrowly missing her, but hitting the snake.

Indians! For a moment Julia wasn’t sure which was the worse enemy, the snake or the Indian. The snake appeared to be alive still, its tail rattling, its head poised. Had the Indians intended only to anger it?

A whir, a loud thump, another arrow struck it.

The creature toppled over and the Indian suddenly appeared on the edge of her vision, whooping, screaming, running toward her. Terrified, Julia opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

Instead her knees gave way, her eyes rolled back, and her whole body collapsed. Would he want her scalp? It was the last thought she remembered.

She awoke with a start. The Indian’s hands were upon her legs, feeling under her skirts.

She kicked out at him, a feeble attempt, for he merely held her legs away, his strength quieting her.

He ran his fingers over her calves and Julia squeezed her eyes shut. Had her life come to this? To be raped by a savage?

But just as quickly as his hands had felt her, he stopped and sprang to his feet, standing over her and glaring at her. He didn’t say a word, just glared at her, and Julia was too scandalized and scared to do more than stare.

He motioned toward her, Julia recognizing the language of sign, but unlike Kristina, she could not converse in this way.

Finally, she shook her head, saying, “I don’t understand.”

She registered the brief look of disgust that flickered across the Indian’s face before he left her, bent upon retrieving his arrows. He picked up the snake, dangling it from his hand, then set off in the direction of the camp, glancing once over his shoulder and motioning Julia to follow.

Julia, however, would do no such thing. She watched the Indian withdraw, hoping he would leave her to settle her scattered wits. He was back within seconds, standing over her, frowning down at her.

A look of distaste flickered over his features before he was able to control it, and with a rare show of temper, he thrust the snake away, then bent to sweep Julia into his arms.

He carried her as though she weighed no more than a sack of potatoes, and it struck Julia halfway to camp that this savage had just saved her life. It wasn’t a pleasant thought. She had been quite satisfied endowing them with the image of savages and rapists. She didn’t want to think of them as heroes. She didn’t want to think of them at all.

She shivered uncontrollably, but whether it was from the shock of the rattler or the trauma of her own thoughts, she was never quite sure.

Chapter Eleven

“He saved your life.”

“I know, Kristina. It’s just that…” Julia slammed the accounts book closed and straightened up from the counter.
“
You know, I wish the proprietor would do his own books and run his own center. I’m not sure from one week to the next whether we’re making a profit or not.”

Kristina smiled. She glossed the feather duster over the assorted books on the shelves. Not that the trading center sold many books, which was probably why these were coated in dust. “Tahiska told me that rattlesnakes often hide in the burrows left by the prairie dogs,” Kristina stated, ignoring Julia’s outburst. “Which is why one has to take care when walking through one of their deserted towns. Neeheeowee knew the danger and followed you. I’m glad that he was there. I’ve heard that one can die swiftly from a poisonous bite.”

“He scared me silly,” Julia declared, picking up the accounts book and banging it onto another table. “It wasn’t enough that he just kill the pest. No, he had to swoop out of nowhere whooping and hollering and running towards me as though he would like to take my scalp. He ran his hands over my legs.”

Kristina laughed, giving her friend a sly look. “He was checking to see if you’d been bitten.”

“He could have said as much.”

“If I didn’t know better, Julia, I’d say you are protesting too much.” Kristina smiled. “You know as well as I that if you had truly been bitten, there would have been no time. He was acting again to save your life. I’m sorry that you were frightened.”

“Frightened isn’t the right word. I’d say I was petrified. I couldn’t even move.” Julia laughed, despite herself. “I had visions of the Indians scalping me. I certainly didn’t expect one of them to rescue me. And now I don’t know what to think of them. I don’t want to like them, Kristina, and yet I can’t help but feel kindly toward them. I am uncomfortable with them. I’m not sure I can accompany you anymore. Not because I disapprove, but because I am afraid. I meant it when I said I don’t want to become close to them.”

“I see.” Kristina raised her gaze to Julia’s and the two friends stared at one another, each one unsure of the other, both unaware of the heavy footfall on the wooden planks outside.

Both girls jumped as the door flew open and two junior officers trod into the room accompanied by Kenneth Wilson.

All three men smiled at Julia, who stood behind the front counter, while they ignored Kristina, although in all fairness, it was possible they didn’t see her since she lingered near the back of the shop.

Kenneth, however, glanced around the room. “Kristina, Julia,” he tipped his hat to Kristina, while his gaze lingered on Julia. “We’ve come to cheer up your gloomy afternoon, ladies, and maybe to bargain for some flour.”

Julia beamed, but Kristina, flinging a golden lock of hair over one shoulder, turned her back to the men.

She still hadn’t forgiven Kenneth Wilson for his discourtesy to Tahiska, and she wasn’t sure that she ever could. She decided to ignore them all.

“I’ve heard that you girls are partial to spending long afternoons out on the plains.” Kenneth pretended to talk to Julia alone, although his voice carried throughout the store. “Now, there’s wil-l-ld Indians out there, and it occurs to me that you two ladies might need an escort.”

Kristina stiffened, but Julia giggled.

“And just whom might that escort be?”

“I had someone terrific in mind.” Kenneth leaned over the counter toward Julia, and as Kristina spun around, she caught the vision of the two of them bent toward one another. Julia’s dark hair, free from her bonnet, fell forward around her face and Kenneth stooped toward her. Julia literally glowed, and it occurred to Kristina that her friend was more than a little in love with this soldier.

Kristina sighed. If Kenneth Wilson decided to tag along with them when she and Julia rode out, they would never dare to approach the Indian camp. Disappointment swamped her.

“Actually I wasn’t intending to take any further rides. I had an incident with a snake the other day and, now I’ve lost all interest in the prairie.”

“Perhaps I could interest you in a ride, just you and me, no snakes.” Kenneth cast a quick look at Kristina over his shoulder. He lowered his voice then, “And between the two of us, Julia, I think it wise that you stop associating with Kristina. Since that Indian brought her back to the fort, her reputation is tainted. Surely you can see that if…”

“Excuse me,” as Julia straightened away, an oddity struck her. Although Kenneth hadn’t said anything Julia hadn’t thought of herself, the weight of the words spoken aloud had shocked her. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then in a clear voice said, “As I said, I don’t wish to offend you. It was kind of you to offer and I thank you but…”

“Now wait a minute, Julia… I…”

Just then, three shadows fell across the open doorway. Julia’s gaze flicked upward, colliding with a menacing stare from her Indian rescuer while Kenneth spun around.

“Hau, kola?”

None of the Indians smiled. They stood just inside the door, looking wild and completely at variance with the rest of the surroundings. While the soldiers were outfitted in army blues and black boots, the Indians wore buckskin leggings, breechcloths, and moccasins. The young officers’ uniforms were slightly faded, their boots dusty while every article of the Indians’ clothing was decorated with beads and porcupine quilling of yellow, red, and blue. They wore nothing on their chests, except Tahiska, who had tied a tight band on his left arm, adorned with painted porcupine quills. Each soldier was armed with a sword, a knife, a gun; the Indians stood unarmed, divested of their quivers and arrows, with only their bows, which they had flung over their shoulders. The store itself was shaded and dark and the Indians’ colorful appearance lit up the shop as the sun might a rainy day.

Tahiska held up his right hand in greeting.

And while the Indian’s face held little emotion, Kenneth chuckled, an ominous sounding noise.

“Well,” he said, “don’t you boys look pretty.” Kenneth’s grin widened, and suddenly his two junior officers materialized beside him.

“Don’t think I’ve ever seen a man wear earrings before. Have either of you?” Kenneth’s companions shrugged, joining in the malicious sounds of laughter. Kenneth produced a toothpick out of nowhere and, proceeding to clean his teeth, leered at the Indians in between venomous chuckles. “And with that long hair that they wear, boys, I’m hard put as to whether I should draw my knife and fight these Injuns or ask them to dance.”